Saturday, July 21, 2007
Going Postal!!!!!
This week I got to attend (for the 3rd time) the Group1 Users Conference for AFLAC. This year, it was in Boston and I got to take Tracey with me. This is the first time I have ever taken my wife with me to a business convention (or any other type of business trip), and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
First off, Boston is a great city. After we had dinner Tuesday night, Tracey and I took a pedicab (a bicycle rickshaw) from near our hotel to tour the area. Of course, the fun was watching this poor Harvard student struggling up hills with Tracey and I sitting in the back enjoying the sites. We went by Fenway Park (while the BoSox were playing), some really nice park that I have no idea the name of, about 5 universities (including the Harvard Medical School), about 5 hospitals and the Museum of Fine Arts. It was a wonderful tour, and because the kid worked so damn hard I gave him $30.
By the way, dinner was at a wonderful restaurant called Atlantic Fish. Tracey had lobster, I had an amazing grilled swordfish. It was soooo worth the cost.
Then the conference started. I spent the first day grousing to the president of Group1 about the crappy support services we are receiving (not the fault of the support personnel, there's just not enough of them). I then took my complaints about the US Postal Service to the Director of their Address Quality Division. My basic complaint is that they have done their damnedest to put out regulations which serve their needs but are crippling to the businesses who have to meet them.
I have to say that the reactions I got by these two people should have been completely predictable. The president of Group1 was apologetic and seemed to sincerely care about my concerns. The Director at the USPS basically made it clear that he didn't care what our businesses were going through. So typical.
The rest of the conference was great. With the help of the Group1 tech people there, we were able to solve a couple of huge problems we've been having. I learned a lot at the sessions I attended.
But the best part of the conference was being there with Tracey. We have only taken two trips alone together since Jacob was born. This one was great. We had fun, she loved Boston (except for the fact that her feet were KILLING her by the time she had gotten done touring), the parties we went to were very nice. And everyone who I had met at other user events LOVED her.
It wasn't a perfect trip, but it was great nonetheless.
Now, some other random notes about the trip.
The food there was fantastic. No matter where we went, we had great food. The New England Clam Chowder we had at a reception on Wednesday night was the best I've ever had.
Even though we didn't go to the Red Sox game, it was great to be in a town who's entire life revolves around their team. When the Red Sox are on, nothing else is watched. Period...end of story.
The amazing architecture of Boston is so wonderful to experience. Old structures right next to the best of modern buildings, it's an astounding juxtaposition.
The people who attend this particular conference are great to be around. It's an interesting mix of computer geeks and people who's work lives are completely bound up in this software. No matter what is going on with our collective feelings about the USPS or the vendor software, everyone does their most to have a great time. And it doesn't hurt that there is much alcohol flowing.
The Thursday night party was on the biggest non-cruise ship I've ever seen. It was huge. It was beautiful. It was well appointed for dinner, and if the weather had been better would have been great for touring the Boston Harbor.
Also, it was so unusual to be in a city where there was evidence everywhere that I was not a political minority. It was so self-affirming.
So, now I wait for next year's conference. They haven't made up their minds where they want to have it. I'm personally hoping for Honolulu.
First off, Boston is a great city. After we had dinner Tuesday night, Tracey and I took a pedicab (a bicycle rickshaw) from near our hotel to tour the area. Of course, the fun was watching this poor Harvard student struggling up hills with Tracey and I sitting in the back enjoying the sites. We went by Fenway Park (while the BoSox were playing), some really nice park that I have no idea the name of, about 5 universities (including the Harvard Medical School), about 5 hospitals and the Museum of Fine Arts. It was a wonderful tour, and because the kid worked so damn hard I gave him $30.
By the way, dinner was at a wonderful restaurant called Atlantic Fish. Tracey had lobster, I had an amazing grilled swordfish. It was soooo worth the cost.
Then the conference started. I spent the first day grousing to the president of Group1 about the crappy support services we are receiving (not the fault of the support personnel, there's just not enough of them). I then took my complaints about the US Postal Service to the Director of their Address Quality Division. My basic complaint is that they have done their damnedest to put out regulations which serve their needs but are crippling to the businesses who have to meet them.
I have to say that the reactions I got by these two people should have been completely predictable. The president of Group1 was apologetic and seemed to sincerely care about my concerns. The Director at the USPS basically made it clear that he didn't care what our businesses were going through. So typical.
The rest of the conference was great. With the help of the Group1 tech people there, we were able to solve a couple of huge problems we've been having. I learned a lot at the sessions I attended.
But the best part of the conference was being there with Tracey. We have only taken two trips alone together since Jacob was born. This one was great. We had fun, she loved Boston (except for the fact that her feet were KILLING her by the time she had gotten done touring), the parties we went to were very nice. And everyone who I had met at other user events LOVED her.
It wasn't a perfect trip, but it was great nonetheless.
Now, some other random notes about the trip.
The food there was fantastic. No matter where we went, we had great food. The New England Clam Chowder we had at a reception on Wednesday night was the best I've ever had.
Even though we didn't go to the Red Sox game, it was great to be in a town who's entire life revolves around their team. When the Red Sox are on, nothing else is watched. Period...end of story.
The amazing architecture of Boston is so wonderful to experience. Old structures right next to the best of modern buildings, it's an astounding juxtaposition.
The people who attend this particular conference are great to be around. It's an interesting mix of computer geeks and people who's work lives are completely bound up in this software. No matter what is going on with our collective feelings about the USPS or the vendor software, everyone does their most to have a great time. And it doesn't hurt that there is much alcohol flowing.
The Thursday night party was on the biggest non-cruise ship I've ever seen. It was huge. It was beautiful. It was well appointed for dinner, and if the weather had been better would have been great for touring the Boston Harbor.
Also, it was so unusual to be in a city where there was evidence everywhere that I was not a political minority. It was so self-affirming.
So, now I wait for next year's conference. They haven't made up their minds where they want to have it. I'm personally hoping for Honolulu.
# posted by Kevin @ 8:49 PM 
